1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to swivels and, more particularly, to an extensible swivel for lamps and the like.
2. The Prior Art
Extensible swivels for lamps have been known for sometime. For the most part, such extensible swivels feature a key against which a projecting part abuts, allowing thus a rotational adjustment of less than one complete revolution, i.e., less than 360.degree.. See, for example, a pending application entitled SWIVEL STOP, Ser. No. 268,257, filed May 29, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,621, granted July 31, 1984 and assigned to a common assignee. For many users, this limitation in rotational adjustment to less than 360.degree. is considered an undesirable handicap. The alternative arrangement of having no key and/or projecting part, permitting unfettered revolutions in either direction, presents a safety hazard, however. For, the insulation on the electrical cord, accommodated within the arms and legs of the lamp's structure, tends to crack upon being twisted repeatedly and tightly. With the development of such cracks in the insulation, a short circuit between the cord and the structure of the lamp can occur. Such short circuit then presents a fire hazard as well as potential harm or injury to a user. Hence, such unfettered swivels are largely prohibited by local ordinances governing the sale and use of electrical appliances.